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Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014
ICT for Women –
Creating Gender sensitive eSpaces for Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
Shruti
Ankita Sharma
Annie Vincent
OneWorld Foundation India
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014
ICT for Women – Creating Gender sensitive eSpaces
for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
Shruti
Ankita Sharma
Annie Vincent
OneWorld Foundation India
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | i
About the Initiative
This publication is a part of the Capacity Building initiative under the National e-Governance
Plan (NeGP) by NeGD with an aim to draw out learnings from various projects implemented
in various States/ UTs and sharing this knowledge, in the form of case studies, with the
decision makers and implementers to benefit them, by way of knowledge creation and skill
building, from these experiences during planning and implementation of various projects
under NeGP.
Conceptualised and overseen by the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) of Media lab
Asia/DeitY these case studies are submitted by e-Governance Practitioners from
Government and Industry/Research Institutions. The cases submitted by the authors are
vetted by experts from outside and within the Government for learning and reference value,
relevance to future project implementers, planners and to those involved in e-governance
capacity Building programs before they are recommended for publication. National Institute
for Smart Government (NISG), working on behalf of this NeGD provided program
management support and interacted with the authors and subject matter experts in
bringing out these published case studies. It is hoped that these case studies drawn from
successful and failed e-Governance projects would help practitioners to understand the
real-time issues involved, typical dilemmas faced by e-Governance project implementers,
and possible solutions to resolve them.
Acknowledgment
NISG sincerely thanks all the authors for documenting and sharing their rich experiences in
terms of challenges and lessons learned and allowing us to publish and use these case
studies in various training programs of NeGD and NISG. NISG also thanks all the external and
internal experts who helped review the submitted cases, providing critical observations and
for helping in articulating and presenting the case studies, both for class room use as well as
a reference article.
Copyright License
This case study submitted by author/s and accepted for publication under the project of
National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Communications and Information
Technology, Government of India by NISG, the program management agency, is governed
by the following license of the Creative Commons. For any specific permission/feedback the
publisher may be contacted.
(cc) Creative Common License - Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | ii
The user is therefore free to make derivative works, with credit to the original author.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/in/
Disclaimer
This publication is a work product produced by external authors with information sourced
from their own sources as provided under reference in respective articles and is based on
experiences with Projects undertaken directly or as research initiatives closely working with
the project owners or with their consent to publish the findings. The authors have provided
a plagiarism declaration as per project guidelines and National Institute for Smart
Governance (NISG) has put in best efforts to validate the authenticity and learning value of
the article submitted. NISG has acted mainly as a content reviewer with support from
identified expert resources. NISG is not responsible for any plagiarism violations or copyright
infringements and respective authors are fully responsible for the same as per respective
declarations provided by them. The case study should not be used as a definite source of
data.
The case studies are meant for use as a background and quick reference on the topic(s) by
e-Governance practitioners, and should not be treated as a guideline and/or instructions for
undertaking the activities covered under any e-Governance project/s. It may also be used in
a classroom for discussion by the participants undergoing e-Governance related training
programs. The document by no means has any commercial intention and is solely developed
for the purpose of knowledge sharing.
NISG-CBKM 92-200/Case Study/02-2014/V1 Printed & Published by
National Institute for Smart Government, www.nisg.org
on behalf of the Department of Electronics & Information Technology,
Government of India
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | iii
List of abbreviations
BPL Below Poverty Line
GPS Global Positioning System
ICT Information, Communication and Technology
INR Indian National Rupees
MGNREGA Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act
MoRD Ministry of Rural Development
OWFI OneWorld Foundation India
SMS Short Messaging Service
UHD Unified Handheld Device
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
USD United States Dollars
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | iv
TABLE OF CONTENT
Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 6
Note to practitioners ................................................................................................................. 7
Project context ........................................................................................................................... 7
Project overview ...................................................................................................................... 11
Challenges in implementation ................................................................................................. 24
Key lessons ............................................................................................................................... 25
Research methodology ............................................................................................................ 27
References ............................................................................................................................... 27
Case fact sheet ......................................................................................................................... 29
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 6
Abstract
The ICT Ecosystem project for the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Act in Rajasthan was launched in the year 2009 by OneWorld Foundation India
in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development (Government of India), Government
of Rajasthan and the United Nations Development Programme. This project was officially
known as the 'Knowledge for Community Empowerment and Enhanced Livelihood
Opportunities'. The primary objective of this project was to leverage ICT to improve the
delivery of services under MGNREGA. The empirical reality in the villages where this project
was launched was that women formed over sixty percent of the workforce. The thrust of this
initiative was to empower this workforce by improving their access to information regarding
their entitlements set out by the Act. An end-to-end ICT framework was created by user
friendly technologies such as Soochna Seva Kendras (Information Kiosks), GPS verified
attendance tracking tool, community radio and SMS job card. This ICT Ecosystem was
designed and developed keeping in mind capacity of target users, primarily rural women
with low levels of literacy and their contextualized incapacitation in access to information
due to gendered patterns of knowledge and hierarchy in rural Rajasthan. The project was
launched as a pilot in 20 villages of the districts of Bhilwara and Udaipur in Rajasthan.
This pilot proved the success of leveraging a combination of ICT tools for streamlining the
implementation of MGNREGA particularly in terms of creating awareness about the Act
amongst the intended beneficiaries and facilitating a transparent and accountable process
of job demand, job allocation and wage payments. This ICT Enabled Ecosystem was
highlighted as a successful model for upscale by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD),
Government of India (GoI) in the National Policy Framework on biometrically enabled end-
to-end ICT applications on August 20, 2010.
This case study focusses on the manner in which ICT tools such as information kiosks,
internet, mobile telephony, and community radio have been leveraged to enable access to
information amongst the women regarding their entitlements, thereby enhancing their
ability to demand their rights and improving the delivery of the services under MGNREGA. It
builds on the idea that gendered patterns of hierarchy can be overcome by creating eSpaces
for rural women to improve their access to information regarding their entitlements and
thus make governance responsive to their needs and priorities. This project involved a
section of society that has traditionally taken a backseat in demanding their rights and
ensured increased outreach of the services and managing the information and records to
enhance governance transparency and accountability.
Key words: MGNREGA, public service delivery, ICT, livelihoods security, transparency,
accountability, eGovernance, mobile-Governance, inclusive governance, Bhilwara, Udaipur,
Rajasthan
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 7
Note to practitioners
This document is intended to serve as an overview of creating eSpaces for women through
ICT-based ecosystem in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act in 20 villages in the Bhilwara and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan.
It presents a framework to integrate various components of the ICT infrastructure being
utilized in the implementation and monitoring of work under the Act in these areas and
provides basic operational guidance to practitioners seeking to replicate the approach in
their own states or departments.
Project Context
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was notified
in September, 2005 and its first phase was implemented in 200 districts of India in 2006.
Presently, MGNREGA covers the entire country except those districts that have a hundred
percent urban population. The objective of the Act is :
“…to provide for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of
the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in
every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled
manual work and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto”.1
This is done by creating an environment for facilitating sustainable livelihoods and
strengthening the economic and social infrastructure in villages. The Act prescribes
mandatory and active participation of the local community and has components that
encourage women’s participation in this scheme while also securing complete transparency
at all operational levels in its implementation.
The key entitlements enumerated under the Act2 include the following:
The job card entitles the holder to apply for work at any time.
A job application can be submitted to the gram panchayat or the block office.
Employment has to be given within 15 days of applying.
Applicants are entitled to an unemployment allowance, if employment is not provided
within 15 days.
All workers are entitled to the statutory minimum wage.
Wages should be paid through bank or post office accounts.
1 The Ministry of Law and Justice. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005. Web. 8 March. 2013.. <
http://nrega.nic.in/rajaswa.pdf> 2 The Ministry of Law and Justice. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005. Web. 26
December. 2012. <http://nrega.nic.in/netnrega/home.aspx/>
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 8
Upon the payment of wages, all related details must be entered in muster rolls.
Muster rolls should be available and maintained at the worksite.
Shade, drinking water and first-aid should be available at every worksite.
Childcare facilities should be provided at worksites.
The gender sensitive women empowering aspects of MGNREGA3 are:
At least one third of the beneficiaries shall be women who have registered.
Individual bank/post office accounts must be compulsorily opened in the name of all
women MGNREGA workers and their wages directly credited to their own accounts
for the number of days worked by them.
To identify widowed women, deserted women and destitute women who qualify as
a household under the Act, to ensure that they are provided 100 days of work.
To ensure that pregnant women and lactating mothers (at least up to 8 months
before delivery and 10 months after delivery) are given work which require less
effort and are close to their houses.
To conduct time and motion studies to formulate gender, age, level of disability,
terrain and climate sensitive Schedule of Rates (SoRs) and to ensure accurate
capturing of work done by women at worksites.
To ensure that at least 50% of the worksite supervisors (mates) at all worksites are
women.
To ensure that worksite facilities such as crèches, drinking water, shade etc. are
provided through convergence with Women and Child Development Schemes like
ICDS.
To encourage participation of women groups, including Self Help Groups in
awareness generation, capturing demand, planning, implementation, monitoring
and maintenance of works.
Seven years into its functioning, MGNREGA has come under severe scrutiny with respect to
its implementation. Given the investment of extensive public funds and the involvement of
a large number of beneficiaries, the implementation of the Act has become prone to several
discrepancies. Questions on its efficacy have been raised the public space. It has been
argued that while the Act offers a legal space to the poor to claim employment, insufficient
3 The Ministry of Rural Development. Annual Report 2012-13. Web. 24. December.2013.
<http://www.rural.nic.in/sites/downloads/programmes-schemes/Empowerment%20of%20Women.pdf>
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 9
knowledge about the entitlements and low awareness level have hampered its
implementation. 4
A challenge is to deal with the diverse socio-cultural and demographic contexts in which
workers, particularly women, work for wages as provided under MGNREGA. This is
accentuated by prevailing structural hierarchies, traditional mindsets and rigid procedures,
all of which dominate the participation of rural women. It is now accepted being that in
many cases, this is punctuated by predominance of male members of the society.5 Further,
poor levels of accountability in the implementation of the Act and administrative lapses also
act as a major roadblocks resulting in non-compliance to the provisions of the Act such as
non-issuance of receipts, non-payment of unemployment allowance, delays in providing
wages and work, duplication and inaccuracies in record keeping, which were highlighted in
the CAG Report on MGNREGA in 2013.6 Often predominant sections of the beneficiaries, in
this case, rural women, lack information about their basic rights outlined under the Act,
such as the right to claim a job card, unemployment allowance, and the process for
registering their attendance amongst other key provisions of MGNREGA.7 These factors
along with others have greatly resulted in the perpetuation of corruption and diversion of
funds from these intended beneficiaries.8
In view of addressing these challenges, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
India initiated a pilot project named ‘Knowledge for Community Empowerment and
Enhanced Livelihood Opportunities’ also known as 'ICT Enabled Ecosystem for MGNREGA' in
partnership with OneWorld Foundation India and the Ministry of Rural Development,
Government of India in October 2009. The project aimed to arrest the challenges faced due
to a deficit of information in the implementation of MGNREGA9. The role of ICTs was
4 Indira Hirway, 2012.“MGNREGA and Women’s Empowerment” UN Women Publication Accessed from web
on http://www.unwomensouthasia.org/assets/MGNREGAWomensEmpowerment_IndiraHirway.pdf 5 According to Trishna Kalita, The hostility of the panchayat functionaries and male relatives of women
to their participation in MGNREGA resulted in the exclusion of names of women from job cards in
many instances due to the local male resistance to women’s access to the coveted higher paid
MGNREGA jobs. 6 Avani Kapur. Highlights from the CAG performance audit on MGNREGA. Web accessed on 24.01.14.
http://www.accountabilityindia.in/accountabilityblog/2640-highlights-cag-performance-audit-mgnrega 7Jairaj Singh Rathore. MGNREGA-A reality of rhetoric. Web accessed on 26 December.2012
http://www.scribd.com/doc/35681125/MGNREGA 8 Niehaus, Paul and Sandip Sukhtankar (2012b),"The Marginal Rate of Corruption in Public Programs:
Evidence from India", Mimeo, Dartmouth College. Also see aspects of corruption in MGNREGA
discussed at : http://www.ideasforindia.in/Article.aspx?article_id=1#sthash.jPlIG8hA.dpuf 9 United Nations Development Programme India. Support to Operationalisation of the National Rural
Employment Guarantee programme, Web Accessed on 24 December.2012
http://www.undp.org/content/india/en/home/operations/projects/democratic_governance/support_t
o_operationalizationofnrega/
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 10
envisaged keeping in view its potential to effectively plug the loopholes permeating the
delivery of benefits accruing from the Act10.
The ICT Enabled Ecosystem for MGNREGA project aimed at leveraging ICT tools such as
information kiosks, internet, mobile telephony and community radio for increasing the
awareness of rural women about their entitlements under the Act and strengthening their
ability to demand their entitlements. The project was piloted in Bhilwara and Udaipur
districts covering 20 villages.
The architecture of this end-to-end ICT enabled ecosystem was based on four key
components:
Soochna Seva Kendra (information kiosks) were equipped with text-to-speech
enabled and icon based touch screen computers, voice based gateway, and mobile
technology to provide information on job cards, job availability, work status, wages
accrued and received to rural citizens in real time.
GPS Verified Attendance Tracking Tool facilitated the formulation of worksite
muster roll.
Community Radio acted as a medium of grassroots empowerment by deepening
local women’s awareness about their rights based entitlement under MGNREGA in
addition to facilitating skill enhancement on health, education and sustainable
livelihood options.
SMS Job Card Retrieval catered to easy access to job card information (number of
days worked/remaining for work).
Digital Knowledge Repository enabled monitoring and enhanced knowledge
dissemination and exchange.
The basic design of the project was to facilitate a model of inclusive governance and
development, one led by a community of informed and active citizenry. This initiative was
engendered in the sense that special care was taken in creating inclusion for women and
ensuring their participation in this pilot.
10 Ministry of Rural Development. Biometrics enabled for people’s empowerment under MGNREGA.Web
Accessed 26 December.2012
http://nrega.nic.in/circular/National_framwork_for_theuse_of_ICT&Biometrics_english.pdf
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 11
Figure 1: Map showing Bhilwara and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan Source - OneWorld Foundation India, 2008
Project overview
OneWorld Foundation India (OWFI), in
partnership with the Ministry of Rural
Development (MoRD) India,
Government of Rajasthan and United
Nations Development Program (UNDP)
introduced the project titled
Knowledge for Community
Empowerment and Enhanced
Livelihood Opportunities in the state
of Rajasthan. Launched on October 2,
2009, the project was piloted in 10
villages each in districts Bhilwara
and Udaipur.
Enabled with advanced, user-
friendly technologies, the pilot project aimed at measuring the scope of ICT in improving the
delivery of services under MGNREGA and generating awareness amongst the beneficiaries
about their entitlements.
ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA has evolved into an innovative service delivery model
facilitating the implementation of Act in terms of managing large scale operations, widening
the outreach of services and the transparent management of large volumes of information.
The project played an important role in harnessing ICT to improve the quality of service
delivery in the region. It was based on providing free access to information and bolstering
public accountability at critical points of the administration and implementation of the
scheme.
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 12
Table 1: Villages of Bhilwara district of Rajasthan in which the project is operational Source: OneWorld Foundation India, 2008
The selection of geographically smaller areas like Bhilwara and Udaipur for the
implementation of the pilot phase was governed by three primary factors; firstly, to limit the
impact of a new intervention as it was susceptible to failure. Secondly, the implementation
Bhilwara, Rajasthan
Block: Suwana
S.No. Name of
Panchayat
Villages
1 Kanda Kanda
Hasihas
Dandhas
Maheshpura
2 Haled Haled
Agarpura
Sabalpura
3 Rupahali Rupahali
4 Suwana Suwana
Iras
Udaipur, Rajasthan
Block: Girva
S.No. Name of Panchayat Villages
1 Kuraabad Kuraabad
Jhud
2 Parmada Parmada
Kasiya
Nichla Chotiya
Naval Singh ka Guda
Upla Chotiya
Wagat Singh ka Guda
Bhandi Bungri
Naad
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 13
and monitoring of the programme could be managed effectively and thirdly, limited
resources restricted the scope of widening the coverage of the initiative.11
Project Objective
The ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA aimed at creating a transparent and accountable
mechanism of information management and dissemination for the implementation of
MGNREGA. By improving access to information, the project aimed at enabling the poor,
especially women, to demand their rights based entitlements and ensuring effective
devolution of government responsibilities provided under the Act.
Implementation Strategy
The ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA was conceptualized for a socio-economic set up that was
rural and inhabited by a population with poor levels of illiteracy and unfamiliar to
technology. The Rural women are further incapacitated in their access to technology and
literacy keeping in view the socio-cultural realities of Rajasthan. Hence the pilot included
mechanisms to ensure that this section of population could access it. Further, the delivery
mechanism was designed to be simple and did not require much dependence on text. In
addition, since the scheme catered to a vast section of the rural population, there was also
the need develop a technology that could cater to a large target group. Hence, the
prioritization of low cost technology was an important feature of the project12.
Given the level of technological awareness of the target group, user trainings became an
important starting point for the implementation agency. These trainings targeted local
program operators, student volunteers and MGNREGA beneficiaries.
Technical and administrative support of the District and Block level officials played an
important role in the diffusion of the technology at the local level. The head of the district,
district level officials, block officials and block development officers provided expertise and
insights to secure the effective adoption of the technology at the rural level.
In order to engender this initiative, efforts were made to make it easily accessible to the
rural women. Keeping in view the traditional distances maintained in communication
between genders, a local women was selected and trained as the kiosk manager at Suwana
village to ensure a smooth inclusion of the largest beneficiary group of this scheme in
Rajasthan.
11 Nicole Anand. Knowledge for Community Empowerment and Enhanced Livelihood Opportunities: A Case
Study. OneWorld Foundation India. 2010. P.13. 12 Nicole Anand. Knowledge for Community Empowerment and Enhanced Livelihood Opportunities: A Case
Study. OneWorld Foundation India. 2010. p.13.
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 14
Primary Stakeholders
The primary stakeholders in the implementation of the ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA
include:
OneWorld Foundation India
Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India
Government of Rajasthan, India
United Nations Development program (UNDP),
Local leadership at District/Block and village level
MGNREGA workers
Project Components
The ICT for MGNREGA is based on five major ICT components:
Soochna Seva information kiosks
Biometric enabled and GPS verified attendance system
Mobile based job card retrieval
Community radio
Digital Knowledge Repository
Figure 2: Key components of ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA Source: OneWorld Foundation India, 2012
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 15
Soochna Seva Kendra (Information Kiosks)
The MGNREGA Information Kiosk under the ICT Enabled Ecosystem, also called the ‘Soochna
Seva Kendra’, acted as a hub of information and knowledge facilitation. Three information
kiosks were set up, one each at Suwana Panchayat, Kanda Panchayat and Kuraabad
Panchyat. These kiosks served 20 villages in all. The kiosks aimed at securing uninterrupted
and transparent flow of information between the beneficiaries (rural households in
Rajasthan) and authorities (Panchayat officilas) of MGNREGA. These kiosks are equipped
with an advanced ICT enabled apparatus to provide workers information and assistance on
various provisions of MGNREGA and in turn promote and preserve their entitlements
provided under the Act13.
Text-to-speech enabled touch screen application
The touch screen application made available critical information on job cards, availability of
jobs, work status, wages accessible in audio format to users. This innovative user-friendly
device was designed keeping in view the challenge of low levels of literacy and aimed to
bring information to people the way they are best equipped to receive it. The use of local
language and user-friendly icons has further eased the information delivery, as a large
section of the target users lack basic literacy.
Figure 3: Screenshot of the information kiosk to indicate information available to workers under various icon heads
Source: OneWorld Foundation India, 2013
13
Ministry of Rural Development.Government of India. The National Rural Employment Gaurantee Act 2005. Web Accessed on 28 December.2012<http://nrega.nic.in/rajaswa.pdf>
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 16
The above mentioned screenshot of Kiosk is indicative of the information that users can
access through the kiosk. The kiosk captures details like the name and photograph of the
beneficiary; his/her job card number, village name and status of employment to be given
within a stipulated time period under the Act.
Act related information
Worker entitlement
Information related to unemployment allowance
List of perquisites for work
Worksite information
Help and grievance platform
Job receipt
Payment slip receipt
Worker history
Biometric enabled and GPS verified attendance tracking tool
Following an assessment of the outcomes of the pilot of information kiosks in Suwana and
Kanda villages and based on the recommendation of the Ministry of Rural Development and
panchayat secretaries, a portable computer with the bio metric device was introduced to
digitally generate the worksite muster rolls. This device was used by the supervisor of a
particular worksite known as the mate (under the Act) to capture attendance details of the
workers. Earlier muster rolls were generated manually paving way for duplications, errors
and unaccountable practices. Under the new system, the biometric device was to capture a
digital image of a worker’s fingerprints and create a biometric template which was stored
and used for consequent examination of identity. By 2010, a biometric enabled and GPS
verified attendance tracking tool - also known as Unified Handheld Device (UHD) - was
added to the programme. UHD was created by Intel for rural markets in Asia and Africa. It
was customized to facilitate onsite digital muster roll development, work receipt printing,
GPS verification of worker location, photo capture of work progress, biometric worker
identification and smart card reading.
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Figure 4: Process flow of biometric enabled attendance tracking tool
Source: OneWorld Foundation India, 2011
Digital Knowledge Repository
The Digital Knowledge Repository was launched as a part of the project in the year 2009 to
achieve two goals. Firstly, critical information related to the implementation of the Act was
available on the portal for monitoring and assessment. All details captured in the muster
rolls were sent to a technical team at OneWorld Foundation, which in turn uploaded the
data on the portal. This information was displayed in the form of calendar and a Google
map. Upon clicking on the map and calendar icon, one could access details about the
number of workers, their names and job identity. Secondly, the knowledge portal also acted
as a platform for knowledge exchange between MGNREGA policy practitioners. In addition
to this, it facilitated in generation and dissemination of information resources on MGNREGA
and its functioning across the country.
Mobile job card retrieval
To overcome the barriers that arose from poor infrastructure and constrained mobility in
rural areas, SMS job card retrieval was introduced in January 2010. Under the system, the
village workers were provided the option of sending a low cost SMS to receive job status
information such as the number of days worked under MGNREGS and number of work days
left on their mobile phones. The cost of the SMS varied as per the SMS rates fixed by
individual mobile network providers.
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 18
Figure 5: Enabling community knowledge through radio
Source – OneWorld Foundation India, 2011
Community Radio
OneWorld’s strategic
‘Communication for
Development’ effort at the
grassroots has always
focused on the radio as a
means to people’s social and
economic empowerment.
The project used this
traditional ICT tool to reach
out to the MGNREGA
workers and generate
awareness in the community
about their rights under the
Act. Content was drawn
from the MGNREGA
Knowledge for Action Open Archive and the MGNREGA Knowledge Portal to create
messages on entitlements in local language for easy assimilation among beneficiaries. These
messages were broadcasted in every three weeks. Radio was also used to empower the
marginalized through active dissemination of knowledge on health, nutrition, child care and
education, sustainable livelihood options, which would especially benefit the women in
households.
Process Flow
Under the ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA, the rural poor, especially women could access
information through various stages. MGNREGA workers visit the ICT enabled information
kiosks to register themselves. Assisted by a kiosk operator, the user was guided to create a
biometric identity with a thumb impression along with his/her photograph.
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 19
Figure 6: Process flow of the ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA
Source: OneWorld Foundation India, 2011
An auto-enabled touch-screen interface gave workers information on the job cards, job
availability, muster rolls, work status and wages. User friendly icons and local language
audio assisted workers to make a demand job and print dated receipts/ pay slips. Based on
the workers demand and their preference, the Panchayat Secretary would use the ICT
system to allocate work and generate e-muster rolls. Attendance of workers is captured
through a GPS enabled hand-held device that tracked the worker’s location and matched it
with the local geographic coordinates of the worksite. The online dashboard allowed
officials and other stakeholders to remotely monitor the progress of the work, which was
simultaneously updated through the hand-held device. By referring to the e-measurement
book and the geo-tagged attendance of the workers, the Panchayat office issued payment
advice to the bank or the post-office. The business correspondent thereafter visited the
worksite or villages and made payments to the workers after verifying their biometric
identities.
Financial Model
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funded the pilot phase (2009-2011) of
the ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA project in Bhilwara and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan.
Since the completion of the pilot in 2011, the project is being handled solely by OneWorld
Foundation India. Due to paucity of funds, the pilot project at Udaipur was closed and the
kiosks at Kanda and Suwana Panchayat were merged. Later in April, 2013 the kiosk in
Suwana panchayat was also closed after sustaining it for one year without any financial
assistance by OneWorld Foundation India. The operational costs incurred by OneWorld
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 20
Foundation India to sustain and maintain this project is approximately INR 25,000 per
month.
For the duration of the project, the users could avail all the services under this project free
of cost. However, a user had to bear the costs of availing information through mobile
phones. This included the charges for sending a local SMS prefixed by the concerned mobile
network provider.
Technical inputs
OneWorld Foundation India utilised a variety of ICT tools to enabled efficient
implementation of MGNREGA in Rajasthan. The front end of the technology comprised of
the Information Kiosk and the Unified Handheld Device. All registrations done at the
Information Kiosk were stored and reverted back in real time by the National Informatics
Centre (NIC).
Project Outcomes
Creation of a successful model for up scaling
The Ministry of Rural Development and the Government of India recognized the success of
the pilot phase of the ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA in Bhilwara and Udaipur district,
Rajasthan and highlighted this model in its National Policy Framework on biometrically
enabled end- to end ICT application in 2010. This framework aimed at institutionalizing a
mechanism to improve public accountability and transparency. The key components of the
framework are;
Biometric based identity authentication and worker registration
Demand for work through touch screen and text-to-speech enabled computers in
the information kiosks and through handheld device at worksites
Dated acknowledgement of work demand registration with printout in information
kiosks and at worksite through handheld device
Record of workers’ attendance in real time at the worksite on wireless handheld
devices with biometric and GPS validation
Digital capture of work measurement at the worksite
Automated payment to the worker through online pay order to the bank.
With an exception of the automated payment mechanism, all the other components of the
Framework have been successfully tested by the ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA pilot in
Rajasthan.
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 21
Figure7: Preferred Information Type Accessible through Info Kiosk
Source: 'ICT Ecosystem for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) '. ICT Facilitated Access to Information Innovations. World Bank Institute.2011
Improving access to information through utilization of technology
The introduction of information kiosks under the ICT Ecosystem ensured that precise
information related to the Act was available to the citizens at any given time. Earlier, the
workers had to rely on the information provided by gram panchayat functionaries who
acted as middlemen and to the detriment of the workers. Since information dissemination
was in the control of middlemen, it was difficult to discern the authenticity and accuracy of
the process, thus, leading to instances of corruption. The Information Kiosks played an
important role in eliminating the
dependence of workers on gram
panchayat functionaries . The
workers could seek MGNREGA
related information directly
through the kiosk. As per a
survey conducted by OneWorld
Foundation India of 100
MGNREGA workers in Suwana
and Kanda villages in April, 2011
to study the operation and
outcomes of the ICT Ecosystem
project in Rajasthan, MNREGA
workers in the region were increasingly using the kiosk to seek information. Amongst the
information sought, enquiries about job demand were the most common. The graph on the
right suggests that approximately 80 percent of the surveyed users preferred to seek
information about job demand through the kiosk.
Generating awareness and enhancing participation: reaching the last mile
Improved access to information empowered the local population to become more aware
about their rights under MGNREGA. Approximately 80 per cent of the workers surveyed for
OneWorld's study in 2011 asserted that enhanced knowledge and information about their
entitlement to wages, unemployment allowance and other such provisions has enabled
them to assert their demands and hold the duty bearers accountable in significant ways. As
per the Kanda Panchayat Secretary, the introduction of kiosks also enabled women in the
village to seek and receive information on their own. This increased their confidence levels
to a significant extent. The women feel comfortable approaching the kiosks and operating
the machines as earlier they had to primarily depend on men for procuring information
about their rights
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 22
Table 3: Total number of transactions per category at the Soochna Seva Kendras at Suwana and Kanda kiosks Source: OneWorld Foundation India, 2012
Increase in beneficiary participation was apparent in the enhanced usage of the project
components over time. The table 3 gives a breakdown of the category-wise usage of the
Soochna Seva Kendra. In order to engender this initiative it was decided that one of the
kiosk manager would be a women. In order to ensure a women’s participation in this
technological innovation, a local women, who had also worked as mate in MGNREGA was
selected, hired and trained both for kiosk management and community radio coordination.
This smoothened the involvement of women in this pilot.
Effective delivery of services by government officials
Under MGNREGA, the village panchayat was the agency responsible for implementing the
scheme. The local officials were required to undertake all aspects of administration of the
Act’s implementation at the village level. This included providing information, registering
beneficiaries, preparing muster rolls, monitoring worksites, and ensuring payments. Timely
handling of requests often became difficult because of staff shortage. With the introduction
of the information kiosks, the time taken to process a request was greatly reduced. The
figures below provide a comparative illustration of the stages of processing a request before
and after the initiation of the information kiosk. These diagrams reflect that the number of
visits that workers had to make for receiving work under MGNREGA has been reduced from
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 23
Figure 8: Job demand process prior to establishment of Information
Kiosks under the project
Source – OneWorld Foundation India, 2011
Source – OneWorld Foundation India, 2011
Figure 9: Job demand process after the establishment of Information Kiosks
under the project
Source – OneWorld Foundation India, 2011
about five visits to just one visit. This saved time for both workers and panchayat officials
who now had ready information to process job requests in a quick manner. Panchayat
officials could direct rural citizens to the kiosk for any information regarding their
entitlements under the MGNREGA. This enabled officials to focus on the monitoring aspects
of the Act.
Enhancing
efficiency and transparency in government operations
94 per cent of the users surveyed by OneWorld in April, 2011 agreed that the ICT Ecosystem
has led to reduction in corrupt practices. Majority of the surveyed users pointed towards
instances of corruption and misappropriation being predominant, especially in cases related
to job allocation and wage payments prior to the setting up of the ICT Ecosystem for
MGNREGA. According to these workers, political pressures and elites interests often
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 24
governed the allocation of jobs earlier. With job demand being channelized through the
information kiosks under the ICT Ecosystem, the occurrence of such instances has been
regulated. The biometric system has ensured that only actual numbers of work days of a
beneficiary is recorded so that data manipulation eventually leading to misdirection of funds
is no longer possible.
There is increasing clarity amongst MGNREGA workers in the ICT enabled ecosystem project
areas about their legal entitlements under the Act, as a result they are able to hold the local
governance accountable. In the case of grievances, the process of seeking redressal is quick
and easy because submission of grievances under the system is digital and details are stored
and published online for government official perusal.
Challenges in implementation
According to the technical team at OneWorld Foundation India, the most beneficial
component of the ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA has been the use of information kiosks. It
has been one of the most important components that attracted the women beneficiaries
enabling them to overcome the barriers in access to information. However, one of the major
roadblocks in widening the scope and impact of this ICT enabled service delivery mechanism
in the state of Rajasthan was the absence of adequate number of kiosks. While the project
started with three kiosks, finally only one kiosk was operational at Suwana panchayat in
Bhilwara district. Limited capacity of the implementing agency to expand the project in
terms of finances and human resources could be attributed as the primary factor behind its
inability to support and sustain the expansion of the project in the region beyond the pilot
stage.
It is important to note here that the project was launched on a pilot basis and was
exclusively funded by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and implemented
by the Government of Rajasthan. Planning for scaling up of the project could not be taken
up for lack of budgetary support.
The survey undertaken by OneWorld Foundation revealed that only approximately thirty
percent of the total workers in Suwana and Kanda districts had visited the information
kiosks. The figures were indicative of the fact that the majority of rural population has been
unable to utilize this service offered by the project. This could be attributed to the
inaccessibility of information kiosks for many members of the rural communities. Poor
roads and lack of adequate public transport facilities restricted the mobility in rural areas in
significant ways. The lack of basic infrastructural development surfaced as a major
roadblock to efforts at expanding the outreach of the project.
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 25
Although the essence of ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA lies in awareness generation and
ensuring accountability, a deeper understanding about its purpose and methodology
continues to remain very low in rural areas. Reaching out to people at the grassroots level
and making them understand the nuances of the project remained a major challenge that
needs to be addressed.
The SMS job card retrieval component that provided easy access to job card information
was not received well by the rural beneficiaries. The survey undertaken by OneWorld
Foundation India suggested that low level of usage was on account of the SMS costs
charged by the service providers.
Effective implementation of any initiative not only depends upon the demand side
sensitization but at the same time the capacity building of public officials to strengthen the
supply side adequately. The service delivery mechanism is yet to be institutionalized into
the government processes adopted for implementation of the Act. Government officials
have to be included and trained in the process of implementing and up scaling the ICT
Ecosystem model because they will play a key role in the successful working of the model.
Key lessons
Streamlining delivery of services through ICT
By leveraging ICT, the project has enabled a mechanism that has been able to streamline the
delivery of services under MGNREGA. Ridden with several challenges, predominantly that of
middlemen, the ICT system has simplified information management and dissemination and
has enabled to effectively link the key levels of service delivery from the issuance of job
cards, work allocation, wages, work evaluation and monitoring. Since majority of
beneficiaries of MGNREGS were women, this streamlining created spaces where the access
of information were easily achieved and did not have to follow gendered patterns.
Capitalizing on the benefits of transparent information dissemination
ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA was premised on the goal of enabling a citizenry, which was
informed about its rights and entitlements. Transparent flow of information could play an
important role in securing a degree of accountability in the delivery of services. This ensured
that citizens are not only aware about their entitlements but at the same time that of the
responsibilities of the decision makers. Enabling mechanisms of service delivery along these
lines could play an important role in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the
governance apparatus.
Enhancing the participation of government to ensure project sustainability
The project had played an important role in altering the implementation of MGNREGA in
significant ways. However, the impact of the ICT Ecosystem remained restricted as it is yet
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 26
to be integrated with the government mechanism. The extent to which it could contribute
to the holistic transformation of the implementation of the Act depended on the active
participation of the government in widening the scope of the initiative. The
institutionalization of the project as a government process could secure the initiative the
support it requires in terms of finances, technology, infrastructure and, most importantly,
the complete integration of the model with the local governance apparatus. However, since
this kind of support to the pilot is still awaiting the completion of Aadhaar enrolment in the
state, after which there is a hope that the pilot will get up-scaled to be implemented in the
entire state.
Customizing the technology to accommodate local context
One of the pressing challenges that have surfaced in the implementation of the ICT
Ecosystem for MGNREGA is the problem of connectivity. Given the limited number of kiosks,
accessibility to its services has remained limited to those residing within its close proximity.
Owing to the lack of infrastructure and absence of adequate transportation options, a
predominant section of the rural population could not be targeted under the project. A key
lesson learnt in this particular case was the need to support any form of technological
development with a simultaneous strengthening of the socio-economic context. It is
important to effectively capacitate rural areas to access the benefits of ICT. Further, since
the access to technology also has gendered difference there is a need to take measures that
engender the initiatives and allow for an equitable involvement of women, especially in the
rural areas.
Employing user-friendly technology garners widespread support
The simple and user friendly nature of information kiosks played an important role in
ensuring its effective functioning in rural areas. High illiteracy levels and lack of adequate
technological awareness act as a major obstacle in ensuring the effective capitalization of
ICT technology specifically in rural areas. The ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA has been
designed in view of these limitations. It adopts a technological architecture that is easy to
use and does not require extensive knowledge or training. Further, care has been taken to
involve women in this endeavor by bringing the technology to their doorstep and by
ensuring that their access to it is not hampered by appointing a local woman as a kiosk
manager and radio program coordinator.
The Way Forward
As per the discussions with the technical team at OneWorld Foundation India, proposals
have been made to integrate Unique Identification Number or Aadhaar Identity Cards as a
key component of the project. This is in view of enhancing the authenticity of claims for job
cards. This will also act as an additional component to eliminate any scope for duplication
and errors in authentication process. The scope that this initiative has shown in streamlining
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 27
the implementation of the MGNREGS reasserts that such process-reengineering initiatives
can enhance the effectiveness of service delivery and also achieve inclusion of women in the
process.
Research methodology
In order to document the processes involved in the operationalization of ICT facilitated
MGNREGA in Rajasthan, the OneWorld research team conducted thorough secondary
research on the Act’s provisions and implementation to identify the nuances of the scheme.
The key resources for the study included the Ministry of Rural Development’s website,
OneWorld Foundation’s case study on the ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA, results of a survey
held by OneWorld in Suwana village in April, 2011 and the proposals submitted to the UNDP
India in 2008. Based on this information, a set of questions were identified to cover the gaps
in the available information through primary research. Interviews based on a semi-
structured questionnaire were conducted with the erstwhile Director of OneWorld
Foundation India, erstwhile Head of Knowledge Services and Innovations Delivery at
OneWorld and Senior Manager, Community Radio and Media at OneWorld Foundation
India.
References
Anand, Nicole. Knowledge for Community Empowerment and Enhanced Livelihood
Opportunities: A Case Study. OneWorld Foundation India. 2010.
Government of India. Ministry of Law and Justice. The National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act 2005. Web. 28 December. 2012. <http://nrega.nic.in/rajaswa.pdf/>
Government of India. Ministry of Rural Development. Biometrics Enabled for People’s
Empowerment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
Web. 26 December. 2012.
<http://nrega.nic.in/circular/National_framwork_for_theuse_of_ICT&Biometrics_englis
h.pdf/>
Institute of Applied Manpower Research. All-India Report on Evaluation of NREGA: A
Survey of Twenty Districts. 2008.
Jairaj Singh Rathore. MGNREGA-A reality of rhetoric. Web. 26 December. 2012.
<http://www.scribd.com/doc/35681125/MGNREGA/>
Princeton University. MGNREGA Implementation - A cross state comparison. January
2012. Web. 28 December. 2012.
<http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/MGNREGA%20Implementation%2
0A%20Cross-State%20Comparison.pdf/>
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 28
United Nations Development Programme - India. Support to Operationalization of the
National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme. Web. 24 December. 2012.
http://www.undp.org/content/india/en/home/operations/projects/democratic_govern
ance/support_to_operationalizationofnrega/
Ministry of Rural Development. Annual Report 2012-13. Web. 24. December.2013.
<http://www.rural.nic.in/sites/downloads/programmes-
schemes/Empowerment%20of%20Women.pdf>
Avani Kapur. Highlights from the CAG performance audit on MGNREGA. Web accessed
on 24.01.14. http://www.accountabilityindia.in/accountabilityblog/2640-highlights-cag-
performance-audit-mgnrega
Jairaj Singh Rathore. MGNREGA-A reality of rhetoric. Web accessed on 26
December.2012 http://www.scribd.com/doc/35681125/MGNREGA
Niehaus, Paul and Sandip Sukhtankar (2012b),"The Marginal Rate of Corruption in Public
Programs: Evidence from India", Mimeo, Dartmouth College. Also see aspects of
corruption in MGNREGA discussed at :
http://www.ideasforindia.in/Article.aspx?article_id=1#sthash.jPlIG8hA.dpuf
United Nations Development Programme India. Support to Operationalisation of the
National Rural Employment Guarantee programme, Web Accessed on 24
December.2012
http://www.undp.org/content/india/en/home/operations/projects/democratic_govern
ance/support_to_operationalizationofnrega/
Kalita, Trishna , (2010) Women’s Participation in NREGA. Web Accessed on 25December,
2013 http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=763040 .
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 29
Case fact sheet
I. Demographic information:
Source: Provincial population totals. Census of India 2011.Governmane of India
II. Sector to which the project belongs: Public service delivery
III. Stakeholders and beneficiaries:
i. Stakeholders – OneWorld Foundation India, Ministry of Rural Development
(Government of India), Government of Rajasthan, United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP, India)
Parameter Rajasthan India
Total Population 68,621,012 1,201,193,422
Male 35,620,086 623,724,248
Female 33,000,926 586,469,174
Decadal growth in
population
21.44% 17.6%
Sex ratio 926 940
Density of population 201 382
Literacy rate 67.07 74.04
Male 80.51 82.14
Female 52.66 65.46
Rural population 51,540,236 83.3 crore
Urban population 17,080,776 37.7 crore
Population living below
poverty line
15.28% 26.10%
Scheduled Caste population 9.69 million 166.64 million
Schedule Tribe population 7.10 million 84.33 million
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 30
ii. Beneficiaries – Citizens of Udaipur and Bhilwara districts, Rajasthan
IV. Technology employed
Name of Software Type of Software Use of Software
Hand-held Device Microsoft.NET
framework 2.0 using
ASP.NET and C#
Freeware To develop frontend
MySQL 5.1 Open source To develop backend
maintenance of biometric
worker profile and to keep
track of the attendance
GPS Garmin GPS 60 Proprietary To capture geographic
parameters-
latitude/longitude
Info Kiosks Microsoft.NET
framework using 2.0
using ASP.NET and C#
Freeware
To develop frontend
MySQL 5.1
Open source
To develop backend
maintenance of biometric
worker profile
SQL Server 2005
Express Edition
Open Source To access workers profile in
offline mode
Biometric Device SecuGen FDx SDK Pro
for Windows
Open Source To scan thumb impressions
at the info kiosk and at the
worksite
Mobile Microsoft.NET
framework 2.0 using
ASP.NET and C#
MYSQL 5.1
Freeware
To develop frontend
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 31
ICT infrastructure utilized for the MGNREGA implementation under the project
Source: OneWorld Foundation India, 2011
V. Calendar of major events:
VI. Financial sources:
Category of Expenditure Total (INR) Amount in USD
Open Source To develop backend
Formulation of the Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
(MGNREGA)
2005
Pilot of MGNREGA implemented in 200
districts in India
2006
Implementation in the whole country 2008
ICT Ecosystem for MGNREGA launched in
Bhilwara and Udaipur by OneWorld
Foundation India
2 October, 2009
Ministry of Rural Development announced
National Policy Framework on biometrically
enabled end-to-end ICT application
20 August, 2010
Case Studies on e-Governance in India – 2013 - 2014 Page | 32
Tech Infrastructure (H/W) 4,46,000 9,911
ICT Innovation (S/W) 6,15,000 13,667
Personnel Expenses (15 months) 6,01,200 13,360
Kiosk Operating Expenses 3,54,000 7,866
ICT Training and Capacity Building at Grassroots 2,20,000 4,889
Right Based Advocacy at Grassroots 4,82,500 10,722
Monitoring, Quality Assurance, Documentation
& Reporting
1,90,482 4,232
Administrative Expenses 1,26,988 2,821
Total expenditure 30,36,170 67,468
Annual Budget for Info Kiosks and Radio Project (September 2009 – December 2011)
Source: OneWorld Foundation India, 2008
The project was funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India, and
implemented by the Government of Rajasthan, India.
VII. Major services offered: The project addresses each process involved in helping rural
poor claim their right to work under the MGNREGA through four major project
components:
Soochna Seva Kendra
Biometric enabled GPS verified attendance tracking tool
Community radio for awareness generation
SMS job card retrieval